> rrhitenthCommdfJaemmt. 319 deale with ba(e fellowesJ and meanecompanions,that mull not be compared with men offuchworth as themfelues are. Better athoufand fuch refufe perfonsfhould want(fay they) then agentleman ofpl~ce and. worfhip lh'oul~ bee without his delights, and plennfull mamtenance for ht~ deg_ree. But theydo. notonlyopp-~ffehereby menofthelower iott, ·but alfo they fltike dangeroufiy at thePrince:, and at the whole · land. For, Sa/om1n faith, that the flrength and honorofa Pro.r~· •.af!· · _King, confitlcth in the multitude ofpeople. They weaken the tl:ateofthePrince, and theHayof the land 1 andbycon.. fequent are enemies, and in truth the tnoH fecret vndermi– ners oftDe wholeHate. Thefe are moll wicke-d .perfons, fuc~ as the Pl'ophet fp~akesof:,that defolatio!l 'and def1r.ucHonRrays 9.,.· are in their pathes _; and their f~otfieps , (whereby you m~y ttaceth.em) is, walling, fpoyling, and ruinating the ho.ufes and liuing~ ofpooremen. · . Tpis is toprodaimeto al~ the world,that there is.co fearc. Rom.J.xf. ofGod beforetheir cies.N:ow the meanes wherebyw,e may ~referua~ k · r 1 fi · d h fj · · · 'k' . tmes to rei .. eep our 1e ues romcouettng,an ·muc more rom ta mg .ftrainevs away our neighbours h0ufe, are firH to coufid'er, that the f~·om fpoi~ ?oufe we haue already, is bet~er farre then we de~crue.~he~~ ~~i\hb~tt .~ JSnot any that dwels~n. fo, poor~a cottag~, but htshabttau– ._on isbetter then his p:terits.could purchaf~; yea thoughhee w~re in adungeon:For hehat.h deferued to be lhut vp inbel. Then againe it dothnot yet feeme good to God, to giue him a better, and thereforehe thould content himfelfe with that heehath, .and confe[e that God is wifer, and kllowes what is good fo_rhim betterthanhimfelfe.Thirdly, confider the deceitfulnes ofour owne hearts :One thinkes now, that ifhe had afairer houfe, he thould be more ar.quict. But may ·not this be a falfe petfwafion?may notGod croffe him with n~knes and difeafes,with flumea~dclifgrace,with troubles andhorrorofconfcience? and then thewalle'swill not coni– fo~t him;theroofeand coueringwill not bring himanyeafe. le ts not the dwelling that will bring quietn~ffe, not the change ~f.the houfe that can fettle the heart. V1ddfe -wee ch_ang~ our couetouf~.e{fe, and wickedndfe, for contented- ' ftC$ an_dgoodnes i. '!{C fuall haue grea~ grief~ ~Q,dyexatien, I • A~-t . •· ~
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